Track-sweeper.



No. 740,851. PATENTED 001:. e, 1903 B HBMANN TRACK SWEBPER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 11, 1903.

H0 HODEL.

iiii' iatented October e, 1903.

PATENT Orricn.

BENNARD HEMANN, OF BELLEVILLE, ILLINOIS.

TRACK-'SWE-EPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 740,851, dated October6, 1903- Application filed March 11, 1903.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENNARD HEMANN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Belleville, countyof St. Clair, State of Illinois,

5 have invented new and useful Improvements in Track-Sweepers, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention consists of a track-sweeper applicable to a car or othervehicle, the same embodying a brush which -may receive motion from aWheel of said car or vehicle and placed upon the railroad-rails oriinproximity thereto, the construction of parts being hereinafter describedand the novel featuresbe. I ing pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a track --sweeper embodying myinvention; Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal vertical section thereof.Fig. 3 represents a top view of a detached portion, showing the brush ina different position from that in the other figures. Fig. 4 represents aperspective view of another detached portionon a reduced scale.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in thefigures.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a portion of the truck of a caror other vehicle to which my invention may be applied.

B designates arms which are hinged to any suitable member of said car,on the under side of the floor thereof or other suitable part of' atruck, the same extending in the longitudinal direction of the car andhaving their forward ends of the form of a frame 0, on

3 5 which is mounted the transversely-extending rotatable shaft D, theends whereof have the brushes E secured thereto.

F designates a counter shaft which is mounted on the frame 0 rearward ofthe shaft 4:: D- and having on its ends the friction-pulleys G.

H designates a sprocket-wheel on the shaft D, and J designatesasprocket-wheel on the shaft F. Passing around the said wheels H 5 and Jis the sprocket-chain K,.Whereby said wheels are geared together, andthemotion of the wheel J may be communicated to the wheel H, andconsequently to the brushes IE, it being noticed that said brushesoccupy positions in advance of the front of the car over the rails onwhich the same is run.

Pivotally connected with the frame 0 is the their set or operativepositions.

Serial No. 147,293. (No model.)

the foot of themotorman or brakeman or other operator may be placed inorder to depress said frame and causethe brushes E to be lowered. Onsaid push-rod is the ratchet M and onthe platform of the car about theopening through which said push-rod passes is the tooth P, which is sodisposed that it may be engaged by the ratchet M, thus interlocking thepush-rod and retaining the brushes in Connected with the arms B andfixed points on the door of the vehicle is the spring Q, the tendency ofwhich is to elevate said arms, consequently the frame O, for purposeshereinafter stated.

The operation isas follows: When a track is to be cleared, the push-rodL is. lowered, whereby the frame 0 descends and the pulleys G are placedin contact with the wheels of the vehicle, so that the motion of thelatter is imparted to said pulleysyand consequently to the shafts F andD and 'wheels H and J, thus rotating the brushes E, .it being noticedthat the latter are close to the'rails or in contact with the same, itbeingalso 110- 8c ticed that the said brushes rotate'in a direc tion thereverse of the wheels of the vehicle, whereby-any dirt, snow, &c., onthe rails are swept in front of said brushes, and thus the track isswept or cleaned. When service of -the brushes is 'not required, thepush-rod is released from the toothRwhereby the frame C rises, due tothe spring Q, thus removing the pulleys G from contact with the wheels,ofathe vehicle and stopping the rotation of 9c "the brushes, whichlatter, as is evident, are

now held in elevated position. If desired, the brushes may have theirshafts set obliquely to the line of the track, so as to sweep the dirt,snow, &c., to the side of the track instead of in front of the same, ashereinbefore described.

In Fig. 3 I show the shaft D divided and the sections or members thereofconnected by the knuckle-joint D, whereby the brushes on one of saidsections or members may be placed obliquely over the rails instead ofthe right-angular position shown in the other fig ures. If desired,brushes B may be connected with the frame 0 and extend in front of thebrushes E, the same being V-shaped or pointed, so as to act as primaryclearers for the rails when the road is in bad condition more thanordinary, said brushes B being removable when not required.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction withoutdeparting from the general spirit of my invention, and I do not,therefore, desire to be limited in each case to the same.

Having thus described my invent-ion, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a track-sweeper, a rising and falling frame mounted on a car orvehicle, shafts on said frame, means for gearing said shafts one withthe other, a friction-pulley on one shaft and a brush on the othershaft, said frictionpulley being adapted to be placed in contact with arunning wheel of said car by the operation of said frame.

2. In atrack-sweeper, a frame pivoted to a fixed member of a car orvehicle to which the sweeper is applied, shafts on said frame, means forgearing said shafts one with the other, a friction-pulley on one of saidshafts, and a brush on the other shaft and means for lowering andraising said frame and the parts connected therewith.

3. In a track-sweeper, a rotary pulley and a rotary brush, a pivotalframe carrying the axles of said pulley and brush, a push-rod connectedwith said frame adapted to lower the same and a spring connected withsaid frame for raising the same.

4. In a track-sweeper, a frame mounted on a fixed member of a car orvehicle, shafts on said frame, means for gearing said shafts one withanother, a friction-pulley on one of said shafts and means for loweringand raising said frame.

5. A track-sweeper comprising a frame,

means for raising and lowering said frame, a-

rotary brush on said frame and a non-rotary brush also mounted on saidframe in advance of said rotary brush.

6. A track-sweeper comprising a verticallymovable frame, a rotary brushon said frame, and a non-rotary brushremovably mounted on said frame.

BENNAVRQMHEMANN.

Witnesses:

P. B. OHUsE, Jr., W. F. KIRcHEa.

